[coreboot] [RFC] Board status script (was: Change in coreboot[master]: Another pass at board status script)

[ron minnich]

well, now that this has come up here, I might as well put the full plan out.

The mainboard status repo needs repair.

We want to make a script that produces concise results that make it
easy for a potential OEM to make a go/no-go decision. Right now, they
can't do this, and
we've been asked to fix tht problem.

The vendors want to know two things:
- can I build it
- will it boot [my os] -- where that may not be linux.

So we need a simple script that produces this information. It needs to
be easy to run, have very few dependencies, and communicate the key
information without drowning the user in a bunch of extraneous data.

How do we answer those questions?

We need to present results that are current. So, starting Nov. 15, the
static mainboard status page will be more dynamic. The table will
become a waterfall of tables, updated each week. Older results will be
found in older tables.

So the 'Can I build it' will be answered by looking at the table.
How will be answered by seeing what date a build was reported, getting
the hash and config, and then trying to build it.

Will it boot can only be answered by trying to boot it, but the log
might be helpful.

The huge amount of detail Paul is proposing doesn't help that much
with these questions. This is not about regressions. This is about
whether a board worked for someone. The mainboard status page is full
of errors and if I could remove it today, I would.

And, again, the value of dmesg is quite overstated. Linux dmesg is so
variable that for the most part it's one bit of information: 'got a
dmesg/did not get a dmesg'.

What this means is we're going to make work for our community. If you
have a working board, YOU need to run that script and push the
results. The pressure to run the script will increase each week, as
your results fall lower down on the waterfall :-)

hope this helps.

ron